Timer for traffic signals



Sept. 27, 1932. KELLER TIMER FOR TRAFFIC SIGNALS Filed March 21, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet l gf l l mmll l gwue'ntot 'J [1Z2] [er I v (1m Sept. 27, 1932. J KELLER 1,879,300

TIMER FOR TRAFFIC SIGNALS Filed March 21, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 l NS LATION INSULATION J/lller slpt. 27, 1932. J, KELLER 1,879,300

TIMER FOR TRAFFIC SIGNALS Filed March 21, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I Patented Sept. 27, 1932 JEREMIAH, KELLER, or CANTON, oino' TIMER FOR TRAFFIC SIGNALS Application filed March 21,

- The invention relates to timers for use in controlling the operation of traffic signal lights such as are usedat street intersections. The objects of the improvement are to provide a timing device which will operate continuously to automatically control the changes of colored lights such as areused in such signals; to provide means in the timer for lengthening or decreasi the period of time that the red and green lights will be visible on each side of the signal; to provide means for controlling the time during which the amber light will be visible, irrespective of the duration of the red and green lights; to provide means for entirely eliminating the amber light, causing the signal to move alternately from red to green on each side and vice versa to provide means for holding the amber light visibleon all sides of the signal for any '2 desired period of time; and to generally improve and simplify the construction and operation of timing devices.

An embodiment of the invention thus set forth in general terms is illustrated in the 25 accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improved timer, parts being broken away to illustratethe gearing;

Fig. 2, a fragmentary elevation of the T30 switch panel upon the rear side of the device; Fig. 3, a plan sectional view taken as on the line 33, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4, a plan sectional view upon the line 44, Fig. 1; and i Fig. 5, a wiring diagram of the timer. 1 Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings. 7

The apparatus may be mounted upon a base shown at 10, having the gear housing 11 formed integrally therewith and designed to support the motor 12 thereon.

The shaft 13 of the motor has fixed thereon a bevel pinion 14 meshing with a bevel gear 15 upon the vertical shaft 16, journaled at its lower end in a bearing 17 formed in the bottom of the gear housing .11, and at its upper end in a bearing 18 formed upon the bracket plate 19, the vertical .member 20 of .6 which extends into thehousing 11 and is fixed 1929. Serial No. 348,725.

thereto in any suitable manner as by the screws 21.

The shaft 16 has mounted on its lower portion a worm gear 22 meshing with, a worm wheel 23 mounted on one end of a horizontal shaft 24. The shaft 24 is journaled in a bearing 25 which is integral with the base 11', and the shaft 24 has mounted upon its otherend a worm gear 26 meshing with a worm wheel 27 which is mounted upon the lower portion of the vertical shaft 28. The lower end of the shaft '28 is journaled in a bearing 17 formed in the bottom of the gear housing 11, and the upper portion is journaled in a bearing 29 formed upon the bracket late 19.

A pitman wheel 30 is fiiied upon the upper end of the shaft 28 and a pitman arm 31 is pivotally connected thereto as at 32. other end of the pitman arm is pivotally connected as at 33 to a lever arm 34. The lever arm 34 is pivoted at 35 upon a vertical shaft 36 which is clamped at its lower end in a split ring bracket 37 formed upon the bracket plate 19.

A bracket arm 38' is pivotally mounted, upon the vertical shaft 36 above the lever arm 34, and a bracket arm 39 is similarly mounted upon the shaft 36 below the lever arm 34. By means of screws 40, sleeves 34, 38, and 39, preferably of insulation material, are rigidly mounted within split end portions 34", 38", and 39" of the arms 34, 38 and 39, respectively, the axes of the sleeves being in horizontal alignment. Metal contact pins 34a, 38a, and 39a are rigidly secured within the sleeves 34, 38', and 39', respectively.

Terminal screws 41 and 42 are screwed in the threaded ends of sleeves 38 and 39 contacting with pins 38a and 39a, respectively, and a terminal screw 48 is screwed vertically downward through an insulation sleeve 48 mounted in the arm 34, contacting with the pin 34a. Stops 43a, rigidly mounted upon the lower sides of the arms 38 and 39, operate in conjunction with a cam wheel 43 to limit themovement of the arms when traveling toward each other. Movement in theopposite direction is restricted by a helical spring 44 connected between the end por- The.

tions 38" and 39" of the arms 38 and 39, respectively, and the spring normally urges the arms toward each other.

The cam wheel 43 is mounted on the upper end of a vertical shaf 45 which shaft is secured in a split ring clamp 46 formed in the bracket arm 19, and by means of a clamping screw 47 the cam wheel 43 may be adjusted rotatably.

Conductors 41, 42, and 48 lead from each of the terminals 41, 42, and 48, respectively, to a terminal board 49, the conductor 41 going to terminal 50 the conductor 42' to terminal 51, and the conductor 48 through a hole 52 in the board 49 to one side of a single-pole switch 53, called the amber switch. The function of the switch 53 will be hereinafter described.

The other side of the switch 53 is connected by a conductor 54 to a terminal 55 on the board 49. A double-pole switch 56, called the main switch, is also mounted upon the terminal board 49, and conductors 57 and 57', leading from the source of electrical power supply, are connected to one side thereof. The function of the switch 56 will also be hereinafter described.

A conductor 58 leads from one side of the switch 56 to the terminal 55 in one side of the line, and a conductor 58 leads from the other side of the switch 56 to a terminal 59 in the other side of the line.

Conductors 60 and 60 lead from the terminals 55 and 59, respectively, to the trafiic light 61 described in my co-pending application, Serial No. 345,053, led March 7, 1929. connecting the light across the line.

The motor 12 is connected across the line in parallel with the light by means of conductors 62 and 62 leading from the motor to the terminals 55 and 59, respectively. Resistances, preferably in the form of lamps 63 and 63, are connected in series with the motor 12, whereby the speed of the motor may be varied.

Conductors 64 and 64 lead from terminals 50 and 51, respectively, to solenoids 65 and 65, described in my co-pending application, Serial No. 345,053.

Referring to the wiring diagram, Fig. 5, current is conducted through the circuit from one conductor 66 of the main line, through fuse 67 and conductor 57 to the double-pole switch 56, which is normally closed; thence,

by means of conductor 58 to one side of the terminal 55, thence through the conductor 60 to the lamp 61; and through conductor 60 to one side of the terminal 59, and from there throughconductor 58, switch 56, conductor 57 and fuse 6'7 to the other conductor 66 of the main line. Thus it will be seen that as long as the switch 56 is closed, the lamp 61 will remain lit and the motor 12, being connected in parallel by means of conductors 62 and 62' leading from terminals 55 and 59, will continuously operate.

An oscillating frame indicated diagrammatically at 68 enclosing the lamp 61 is rotatably mounted as at 69 and has mounted thereon transparent red, green and amber panels, indicated at R, G, and A, in a manner described in co-pending applications, Serial No. 345,053.

When the contact arms 34, 38, and 39 are in the positionshown the amber panel A is in front of the lamp 61, and no current can flow from the lamp 61 through the conductor 70 and thence through the coils of the solenoids 65 and 65'. Now when the contact 34a of the arm 34 is moved by action of the pitman arm shown in Fig. 3 against the contact 39'a of the arm 39, current will flow from the lamp 61 through the conductor 70, solenoid 65, conductor 64, to terminal 50; and thence through conductor 42, conductor 48 and amber switch 53, normally closed, to terminal 55, completing the circuit.

lVhen the solenoid 65' is energized, armature 71 is pulled down, rotating the rocker arm 72 about the pivot 73, which, by means ofthe link 74, rotates the lever arm 75 about the pivot 76; and the lever arm 75, by means of a slot and pin connection causes the oscillating frame 68 to rotate in the direction of the arrow far enough to bring the red panel B in front of the lamp 61. Springs indicated diagrammatically at 77 normally urge the lever arm to maintain the neutral or amber position shown.

In like manner, when contacts 34'a and 38a of arms 34 and 38, respectively, are brou ht together, solenoid 65 will be energize pulling the armature 71 down, and rotating the frame 68 in the opposite direction so as to bring the green panel G in front of the lamp 61.

If it is desired to keep the amber light on an indefinite length of time, as in case of fire, the amber switch 53, is opened, thereby preventing current from flowing through either of the solenoids 65 and 65.

By turning the cam wheel 43 so that the stops 43a will strike against points 78 on the periphery of the wheel, thereby allowing contact 34'a to be against contacts 38a and 39a at the same time, it will be seen that the signal will change from red to green almost instantly for the reason that as the lever arm 34 is about to break contact with the arm 39, thus deenergizing solenoid 65' and changing the signal from red, it will make contact with the arm 38 energizing the solenoid 65; and then when the arm 34 breaks contact with the arm 39, the signal will change from red to green through amber so quickly that the length of time which the amber is on will be imperceptible.

By varying the resistance of the lamps 63 and 63, the speed of the motor may be varied thus varying the length of time the red, green and amber signals are on.

I claim: 1. In a periodic switch of the class described, a shaft, two arms rotatably mounted on said shaft, the outer ends of said arms terminating in the same plane of rotation; adjustable means for holding said arms in spaced relation, a third arm rotatably mounted on said shaft, the end of said third arm disposed between the first named arms for movement in the same lane of rotation; yieldable means pressing the first named arms toward each other; a contact head on each of said arms, means to impart a regular oscillatory movement to said third arm to bring the same alternately in contact with the first named arms.

2. In a switch of the class described, two contact heads movable in the same plane, yieldable means normally ressing said heads toward each other, adjusta le means for holding said heads in spaced relation; a contacting member mounted between said heads for movement in the plane thereof, means to oscillate the contactin member and alternately move said hea s against said yieldable means whereby the contacting member will alternately contact with said head with an adjustable interval therebetween, said in terval being regulatable by said adjustable spacing means.

3. In an electric switch of the class de scribed, two contact heads swingingly mounted for movement to and from each other, spring means normally pressing said heads toward each other, adjustable means to hold said heads in spaced relation, a contact member mounted for swinging movement in the plane of said heads, means to oscillate said contact member to move the same through the space between said heads into alternate contact therewith.

. In testimony that I claim the above, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

JEREMIAH KELLER. 

